1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connector assemblies of the type having plug and receptacle components for general and hazardous industrial applications and, more particularly, is concerned with a releasable self-locking clip arrangement interfacing with a threaded connection between a plug body and tubular shroud of an electrical connector plug housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years a comprehensive selection of electrical products, namely, electrical fittings, enclosures, distribution equipment, connectors, controls and lighting fixtures, have been manufactured and sold by Killark Electric Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated. These electrical products are designed for use in hazardous, hostile, corrosive and general industrial environments. More specifically, weather resistant electrical connector assemblies having plugs and receptacles are designed as general purpose equipment for use in and around industrial plants both indoors and outdoors on portable and stationary apparatuses.
In one particular design, the connector plug housing has a plug body and a tubular shroud which threadably interfits or interfaces with an end of the plug body. In many uses of this electrical connector assembly, it is highly desirable to provide a way to ensure that over time the tubular shroud does not unscrew from the plug body. Many devices are known in the prior art for locking threaded parts together. Representative of such devices are the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,047,542 to Lofland, U.S. Pat. No. 1,387,172 to Postel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,679,474 to Kenton and U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,198 to Doyle et al. None of the locking arrangements of these prior art patents, however, appear to be particularly suited for incorporation into the connector plug housing design mentioned above.
Consequently, a need exists for further improvement of the design of the aforementioned electrical connector assembly so as to attain the desired objective of releasably locking together the threadably interfaced tubular shroud and plug body of the connector plug housing.